Colada Boyz Interview

A new local Instagram account has made it their business to scope out the richest espumita and finest coladas that Miami has to offer. The Colada Boyz have a thing for quality coladas, they tell it like it is and they won’t hold back when something ain’t right. Make sure to follow them on the gram to stay up to date on the locations they review, link after the interview. Salud!

INTERVIEW

Who are the Colada Boyz?

We’re a family from Kendall who share a love for Cuban coffee.

How do you guys select which places to visit? Random?

For the most part it depends on location. If there’s a place that makes coffee nearby, and we haven’t reviewed it, then that’s the place we pick. Sometimes it is just a random choice.

How did the idea for the Colada Boyz come about?

There were times when we wouldn’t see each other for a long period, and the only times we would link up would be to go drink coffee somewhere. Very seldom did we ever share the coladas because we always wanted our own.

Being that you provide unbiased reviews and undoubtedly upset some shop owners in the process, when buying coffee to review do you guys identify yourselves as the Colada Boyz?

No, because it could affect the colada. We write about the average person’s experience at that venue, and if we get special treatment, we can’t guarantee our followers that they will receive the same service.

As fellow Miamians, if you set aside the rich flavor and semi-addictive need for a daily pick-me-up, why are coladas and cafecito time such an integral part of the local community?

We guess its because there’s a social aspect in the act of drinking Cuban coffee. You can bring a colada anywhere (office, barbershop, funeral, etc.) and complete strangers will gravitate to it and start a small conversation.

Where did you least expect to have a good colada that far exceeded your initial expectations?

It would definitely be gas stations. When you think of food & drink in a gas station, you think of packaged goods like Gatorade and Sour Patch, not Cuban coffee.

Even if you haven’t yet reviewed it, what’s the most hole-in-the-wall location you’ve had a colada from to-date?

One time driving in Isla Morada, we were really fiending for a colada and we stopped at an ice cream parlor that had a sign advertising Cuban coffee. The manager was un cubiche, who was really cool, but he charged us like 4 bucks for a damn colada.

Do you ever wake up not wanting to try a new colada that day?

Yes. Not so much because of a preference, but because of distance. It feels great to go to the corner of our house and get a quick fix when we’re not working.

You guys rate your coladas so we have somewhat an idea of which have been your most preferred locations and coladas but, is there one in particular that stands out as the king of all coladas you’ve tried so far?

Let’s just say that our favorite spots have not been rated yet. We’ll leave it at that.

We know it’s hard to do but, setting aside the actual quality of the colada for a second, when it comes to the actual environment and vibes of the shop you’re in, what’s been the most inviting and pleasant place to sit down and enjoy a cafecito?

There’s a couple of places. La Carreta on Bird has some great stand up tables under the shade but La Giraldilla on Bird and 152nd has a nice ambiance to sit down and people watch.

If you could only have one or the other, cafecito con croquetas or empanadas?

Are you kidding? Croquetas, all day.

Wrapping things up, as colada reviewers you travel all over the city tasting and critiquing coffee but, what’s your daily watering hole where you get your preferred colada fix from? Any specific location?